Yang Hansen responds to the passing of his mentor Xu Changsuo: Sadness mixed with memories floods my heart, I remember all your words.

On October 7th Beijing time, Shandong basketball legend and Yang Hansen’s mentor, coach Xu Changsuo, passed away prematurely at the age of 52 due to illness. Yang Hansen posted on social media: “Just finished training... Upon hearing the news of my mentor’s passing, I was instantly overwhelmed by sadness and memories. I cherish all your words deeply. Thank you for your support and teaching. Dear Coach Xu, may your journey be peaceful.”

Coach Xu Changsuo was born in Laizhou, Shandong Province. Standing 1.94 meters tall, he was a former professional Chinese basketball player and currently served as the youth training director for Qingdao Men’s Basketball Team. During his playing career, he was a key forward for Shandong Men’s Basketball Team and was part of the “Five Tigers of Shandong Basketball” alongside Gong Xiaobin, Ji Minshang, Ju Weisong, and Yang Wenhai. He helped the team achieve runner-up in the regular season and third place in the playoffs of the 1997-1998 CBA season, and retired after being selected for the national team in 1999.

After retiring, Coach Xu Changsuo became head coach of the Shandong youth team in 2003, leading them to a national runner-up position followed by two consecutive championships, and nurturing players like Ding Yanyuhang, Yang Hansen, Tao Hanlin, and Jia Cheng. From 2006, he coached clubs including Henan Renhe and Shanxi teams. In 2017, he led the Shandong youth team to a silver medal at the National Games and was appointed head coach of Anhui Wenyi Men’s Basketball Team in December that year. In October 2021, he became head coach of Shandong High-Speed Men’s Basketball Team, then shifted to deputy general manager overseeing youth training in June 2022. In 2024, due to health reasons, Xu stepped down as deputy general manager of Shandong Men’s Basketball and later took the role of youth training director for Qingdao Men’s Basketball Team.